


Birthday Bash

by Ocean_Shore



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Finn is a possessive jerk, Flirting, IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO, One Shot, Sunscreen problems, bedroom eyes, best friends brother
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:28:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26655901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocean_Shore/pseuds/Ocean_Shore
Summary: When Octavia hosts a birthday pool party for Lincoln and Raven's boyfriend, Finn, invites himself, he makes Clarke's life miserable. Bellamy, being the protective big brother he is, steps in to make sure he backs off, but with a flirty twist.
Relationships: Bellamy Blake/Clarke Griffin, Monty Green/Harper McIntyre, Octavia Blake/Lincoln
Comments: 5
Kudos: 130





	Birthday Bash

Clarke was busy puttering around her room, stuffing her supplies laid out on her bed into her beach bag. She was talking aloud to herself, “sunscreen… glasses…” teeth bit down gently on her lower lip in thought. She turned around and sees the gift sitting on her desk. “Duh!” She shook her head with a chuckle, “Lincoln’s gift.”

Octavia was hosting a birthday pool party for her boyfriend and Clarke couldn’t be more excited. She assured herself it had nothing to do with Bellamy, Octavia’s brother. Okay it had a little to do with Bellamy. When Clarke first met him in ninth grade, she couldn’t help but notice him. Though he said nothing, you couldn’t help but see the way he carried himself: mildly egotistical, confident, but with sweet eyes behind his characteristic smirk. They argued at first, but soon it became playful and occasionally even flirtatious. She never told Octavia how she felt about him, especially because of the best friend’s brother cliché. Clarke figured Octavia probably wouldn’t freak out, might even be happy or create some elaborate plan to set them up, but Clarke wasn’t about to risk it when nothing might happen between them.

The timer she set for herself went off to alert her it was time to go. She glances at the picture frame and smiled. It was Bellamy at her and Octavia’s graduation. Clarke could barely wait to see them both again. It had been too long.

When Clarke knocks, Octavia swings the door open almost immediately and engulfs her in a giant hug. “Oh my gosh, Clarke! It’s been too long!” Octavia loosens her grip and stands back to let her in the doorway. Lincoln joins her side with a welcoming smile.

“I’ve missed you, too,” she laughs. “Happy birthday, Lincoln.” He opens his mouth to thank her before Octavia continues speaking.

“You’re the first one here, other than Bellamy, so just make yourself at home. There are snacks on the back patio. I’m going to go get changed,” Octavia says, pulling Lincoln along with her, obviously going to do more than just change.

Clarke looks to her left and sees Bellamy reclined in an old grey armchair, scrolling through his phone. She makes her way over, setting her bag down on the way, and perches on the coffee table in front of him. Slyly, she taps her fingers on his knee. Bellamy’s deep brown eyes never leave the device in front of him, but the corners of his lips curl up. Two can play at this game. Clarke places a long finger on the top of his phone, leading it down to his lap and looking up at him behind her eyelashes.

“Oh, hello Clarke,” a deep voice rumbles back nonchalantly. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Clarke hums in agreement, “yes. How coincidental.” He nudges her with his knee.

A loud thump comes from the ceiling followed by two muffled laughs. Bellamy’s gaze shifts and is no longer playful, but closed and slightly annoyed. His jaw twitches.

“It is his birthday; you should give him a break.”

“That doesn’t mean he has permission to be feeling up my sister.”

“You don’t know that’s what they’re doing,” Clarke defends innocently. Bellamy sends her a look as to say, “really?” “Okay that’s probably what they’re doing, but she’s not a kid. I mean we are standing in _their_ house so he’s probably not going anywhere either.”

“But I don’t have to like it.”

“Well, no, but how about you take a day from hating him. It can be your gift to him,” Clarke laughs and Bellamy perks back up at her bright tone. He remembers that no one else is in the room and his gaze shifts again. As he opens his mouth to speak, a chime from the door is heard and Octavia comes bounding down the stairs to welcome the next guests.

Clarke changes the subject. “Who else is coming?”

Bellamy returns back to leaning back in the chair to one side and crosses one leg over the other, gesturing for Clarke to come sit on the arm of the chair. Her heart jumps a little bit and her breath catches. She prays it wasn’t noticeable. Bellamy’s demeanor doesn’t change so she figures it wasn’t. Clarke steels her nerves and takes a seat, skin tingling at their closeness. He rocks back a little and Clarke’s balance goes unstable. As if instinct, Bellamy’s hand reaches out behind her and braces her at the small of her back. When she stills, his hand doesn’t move.

This is the first time they’ve touched that wasn’t a friendly hug and hitting each other on the shoulder as a joke. This felt different. Definitely more intimate. His hand was warm, with only her thin, practically see-through cover up between then. It spanned almost across her entire back and Clarke’s skin felt on fire where he was touching her, butterflying tangling in her stomach. There is a slight pause, where neither of them moves or speaks. They just look at each other and try to decipher what the other is saying. The moment is broken when Bellamy continues.

“A few friends of Lincoln’s from work, but mostly Octavia’s friends. Lincoln is kind of a loner from what I’ve heard.”

“Hmm. Reminds me of someone,” she jests at him. Clarke adjusts her legs across Bellamy’s and leans sideways into the chair, looking down at him. She continues, “anyone I know?”

“Monty and Jasper are coming, I know that. Monty might bring his new girlfriend. I forget her name.”

“Harper,” Clarke interjects.

“Yeah, Harper. Then,” he pauses, thinking hard. His brows wrinkle together and his lips turn into a slight frown. Clarke has to consciously think about not smiling too wide. “Emori said she might stop by and Octavia told me quite a few more people, but I don’t remember.”

Clarke rolled her eyes. “She told me this was going to be, and I quote, ‘a small get together’, but I guess small is never enough.”

“She’s got a big personality to match her big dreams. Can’t fault her for that,” his smile lights up when he thinks about where Octavia’s gotten. Clarke knows life for the Blakes wasn’t easy by any means, but they made do and are happy with where they are now.

“No, I suppose not.” Clarke has burrowed slightly further into the comfortable chair and rests ever so slightly against Bellamy’s shoulder. His arm is no longer on the small of her back, but on her left hip, for stability Clarke assures herself. However, as it is just resting there, she’s not sure she could convince even herself.

They sit there for a few minutes, just enjoying each other’s company when he gets a text. The phone lights up in his lap with a text that reads: hi *winky face*. Clarke’s heart sinks and goes still. She tries to play it off cool, like it doesn’t hurt that there’s someone else. But then again, Clarke realizes he probably just sees her as his little sister’s best friend, so it makes sense. She feels Bellamy adjust slightly, almost tense and sigh, half annoyed, half given up.

“Hi and a winky face. Subtle,” Clarke tries in an attempt to get information, trying not to sound hurt.

Bellamy runs his free hand through his hair, spreading it into disarray. It looks okay, Clarke thinks, maybe even better that way. “It’s this girl from work. Echo. She’s got the biggest crush on me. I’ve caught her staring across the canteen a couple times,” he turns to look up at her, exasperated, “she doesn’t even stop when I catch her! She just keeps looking!”

“Gotta admire a girl with confidence,” Clarke shrugs.

“Confidence. Is that what they’re calling it now?” Clarke takes her hand and ruffles his hair playfully. “Wait,” her heart stops for a beat, his voice revealing nothing, “I remembered O said Raven is coming too.”

Clarke pulls back and tenses. She has no problem with Raven. She likes the prodigy engineer and they’ve been friends since college. Who she doesn’t like, however, is Raven’s boyfriend who has repeatedly tried to make moves on Clarke despite her blatantly voicing her disinterest. “Is Finn coming?” Her mouth was suddenly dry and she swallowed harder than necessary.

Bellamy knows the situation. Octavia called him one time when they were out at a bar when Finn wouldn’t leave. He and Raven weren’t dating at the time, but he still wouldn’t take no for an answer and it worried her. Knowing he has to break the news, Bellamy gently explains, “Octavia didn’t invite him; it was just supposed to be Raven. She knows how you feel about him. Raven just, kind of… assumed he was invited.” Bellamy looks at Clarke with pleading eyes. His pity is almost palpable, but Clarke is too distracted. She slides off the arm of the chair, excusing herself, and leaving to splash water on her face for the disaster she knows is about to come.

……

No one was outside yet but Clarke. She stood at the plastic folding table full of snacks. As she popped a grape in her mouth, she hoped her glares could be felt through the glass to the kitchen. Clarke was chewing so angrily, she bit her tongue quite hard and said, “Shit!”

“What was that, princess?” Not a moment before she had exclaimed her expletive, had Bellamy stepped out of the pool bath, now without a shirt.

“Shut up,” she says. “I bit my tongue.”

Bellamy saunters over in front of her, blocking her view into the kitchen. He smirks as he considers his next comment. In a deep, silky voice, he says, “want me to kiss it and make it better?”

Feeling bold, Clarke sticks her tongue out, almost as if to challenge him. She stands and waits and sees his smile grow. “That’s what I thought.” She turns back around to take another grape and Bellamy snatches it from her hands. Clarke turns back around to find him much closer than she remembers with her grape resting between him teeth. “I hope you choke on it,” she says jokingly.

As Bellamy chews his stolen prize, Clarke unconsciously takes him in. He’s standing so close that every breathe can be felt on Clarke’s sensitive skin. If he takes one more step, they would be chest to chest - his tanned chest that Clarke had dreamt of exploring. He’s filled out more as they’ve grown up and his muscles are all toned. If Clarke had more confidence, she might even reach out and touch his chest, under the guise of a joke, of course. But she wasn’t, so she stood there almost paralyzed and drank him in. At some point, Bellamy seemed to have noticed.

Jet black tendrils of wavy hair fall almost into Clarke’s face as he inched closer. Brown eyes, dark and focuses, met blue ones. Clarke’s lips parted without her meaning to and she hoped he would move just a little closer and kiss her. She could feel his warm breath spanning down her face and leaned closer and closer. Clarke closed her eyes in anticipation, but the kiss never came. Confused, she quickly opened her eyes to see Bellamy’s never left hers. His left arms rested on the table beside her and his right had snuck past her. They exchange one final glance before Bellamy stands back to his full height, with a chip in his right hand. Satisfied at ‘winning’ his game, he crunches loudly on the chip, feigning innocence. Clarke sighs in frustration.

“I hate you,” she says with no true feeling behind her words.

“You could never.” Clarke knew he was right.

……

Eventually, the patio was no longer a hideout from the boy with the beady stares. Raven kept Finn close by her side, but as soon as he saw Clarke, she could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up. It was going to be a long party.

After Bellamy’s trick, Clarke decided she needed a distraction. She grabs her bag and set up her seat out on one of the pool chairs. Soon, others followed. No longer in her cover up, Clarke was dreading the ogling of a certain someone. Naturally, Clarke had chosen one of her more provocative bikinis. In the past few weeks, she was going to the gym and had toned some muscle and wanted to show it off. She did not intend Finn being the one to get to notice.

People always made fun of Clarke for putting sunscreen on. Usually girls her age wanted to tan, but her skin was too pale and she burned too easily. Better to be uncool than to lay in bed that night with stinging, burnt skin, she always argued. She spread a thick layer on her arms, legs, and chest, but was struggling with her back. Her shoulders ached from being contorted into weird positions. She was just about to give up, when a voice comes from behind her, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

“Need some help with that?” Clarke whipped around, but already knew who it was. Finn. Of course, he had noticed her so obviously struggling. It was his in. Clarke began inwardly scolding herself for not just grabbing the spray sunscreen.

“No thank you,” she tried to say nonchalantly. Her eyes scanned around desperately for an out.

“Are you sure? You look like you could use some help,” he pushed. It seemed less like a question the second time he asked.

“Yes. I-” just then, Bellamy walks out from the kitchen, refreshing the ice in the cooler. She makes a split decision. “Bellamy already said he’d help. I asked him earlier.”

Finn took a step closer so Clarke took a step back, almost losing her balance. “Really, I’d be happy to help.” Bellamy catches her eye and she shoots him a pleading look. His face shifts completely and he practically stomps over to Clarke. “It’s no problem at all.”

“I’m sure it’s not,” a low, growl comes from behind Finn’s shoulder. She sees him stiffen at being caught. “Why don’t you see how your _girlfriend_ is doing. She was asking for you.”

Finn accepts defeat and sulks away. Clarke let out a breath she was holding and slumps down into her chair. She looks down and sees her hands shaking slightly and she realized how nervous she felt. Bellamy must notice and sits down next to her. He grabs on of her shaking hands gently and sets it in his lap, encasing it in both of his. His thumb gently rubs across her wrist to calm her, but Clarke can’t focus on it. They sit in silence for a minute and Clarke zoned out. It’s Bellamy that brings her back.

“Are you okay?” she silently nods. His tone changes as he glares over at him, now at Raven’s side again. “I’m going to kill him.” Bellamy spits out.

Clarke looked from the ground to her savior on her right. He is still holding her hand and it almost seems as if it’s for his benefit as much as hers. His jaw twitches and he shoots daggers just a moment more. Then, he looks in Clarke’s blue eyes and he softens. His eyes aren’t full of fire, but love, and his words aren’t icy, but warm her with every word. For an instant, Clarke considers pulling her hands from his and resting it on his cheek. It would be just as soft as his hands around hers, she thinks, but decides against it.

“I really just don’t understand him. I wish he’d just leave me alone.”

“I can make him if you want me to,” he offers. She knows he would too. For her and Octavia, he would do anything. He may work at a desk, but Clarke knows he can still pack a punch. She remembers back when Bellamy saw a boy grab his sister’s butt and knocked him out cold in the mall food court.

“I know you can,” she merely says, a small nostalgic smile playing at her lips, “but no.” He looks almost disappointed. “We wouldn’t want to ruin Lincoln’s birthday… another time maybe.” She playfully nudges.

“There better not be another time,” he warns. “What was he even doing over here?”

Clarke looks at the sunscreen bottle, haphazardly discarded on the ground in her panic. “I was struggling with getting the sunscreen on my back. Probably looked crazy from how I was contorting my body,” she says with a slight chuckle. “I told him I had already asked you for help.”

Bellamy turns and grabs the bottle. Gently, he sweeps her hair to one side and almost timidly asks, “may I?” gesturing to her back. Clarke can feel the heat traveling up to her cheeks, but agrees.

Just like earlier, his warm hand is on her back. It’s a stark contrast to the cool sunscreen. She jumps a little when he first touches her, but she’s unsure if it’s because of the sunscreen or him. Bellamy immediately pulls back and looks in her eyes to see if she was okay. He looked like he was afraid he broke her.

“It’s cold,” she merely says and turns her back to him to tell him he can continue. There was no fabric between the two of them anymore. Bellamy’s hand left fire in its wake. He was gentle and took his time, as if savoring the moment, like at any minute she would change her mind and tell him to leave. Clarke would never tell him to leave, but he didn’t know that.

His hand began at her shoulders and traveled down. At one point, he trailed just a finger down her spine in admiration. Clarke’s eyes fluttered shut and she forgot about everything that happened earlier. The only thing that mattered was Bellamy. She could feel he had gotten closer, heat radiating off his chest onto her back. The hand on her back had migrated to her hip. Steady warm breath tickled her ear and neck. There was nothing else on Clarke’s mind except the way Bellamy was filling her senses.

A voice as smooth as honey whispered, “all done.” Soft lips grazed the side of her ear as he pulled away. Her eyes opened slowly, dazed. Clarke turned around and wanted nothing more than to feel those lips on hers. She didn’t bother hiding her stare.

“My turn,” Bellamy breaks the trance Clarke was in.

“What? You don’t burn. Why do you-”

“Oh, just because I’m tan it means I want skin cancer? I don’t think so. At least my shoulders,” he says, handing her the bottle. Clarke knows that’s not his biggest concern, but she guesses it’s a way to make Finn angrier. Either that or her feelings are reciprocated. Regardless, this was not an opportunity she was going to turn down.

“Okay fine, but only in the name of health,” she lightheartedly asserts. “Turn around.” Over his shoulder, she can see Finn practically grinding his teeth in anger. Clarke smirks, but hides behind Bellamy’s broad back. She can only imagine the victorious face he must have.

Clarke places her index finger at the nape of his neck. Much like he did to her, she traces it slowly down his spine, but with one difference. She presses a chaste kiss between his shoulder blades as well. He visibly shivers, much to Clarke’s liking. Instead of spreading the sunscreen, she kneads it slowly into his shoulders and she can feel the tension in his muscles relaxing. With one long pull of the muscle in his neck down to his shoulder, he elicits a sigh suspiciously close to a moan. It’s music to her ears.

They had been so trapped in their own world that they hadn’t noticed the party had begun. People were splashing in the pool and talking in groups. Clarke would be perfectly content never moving again, but she figured they should join the festivities and she tells Bellamy as much. He agrees, but looks very half-hearted about it, just as Clarke does. Bellamy stands up to leave, but waits at the foot of her chair.

“Clarke,” he looks concerned. “If he tries anything again, tell me. I’m sick of him messing with you.”

“Thanks, Bell.” She means it. There is no one who is more sincere about her.

“We should have a code, like a signal. How about a bird call?” She can’t tell if he’s serious or not.

“I think me calling your name will be enough,” she chuckles.

“You’re damn right.” Bellamy smiles and walked away to go check on his sister. Clarke realizes she doesn’t know what she’d do without him. Her life has been better since he came into it.

……

The water was on the verge of warm, but still cool from the rain over the weekend. Today, though, was perfect for a pool party. The sky was clear with only a few white fluffy clouds. There was just a slight breeze as summer rolled in around the corner. Despite the incident with Finn, Clarke decided it was going to be a good day.

She and Octavia were wading around and talking about Octavia’s new obsession with juice cleanses. Monty and Jasper join in and give their two cents until Lincoln comes up behind Octavia and sweeps her through the water bridal style, causing Octavia to give a delighted squeal. They resettle, but only have eyes for each other and everyone around knows to give them space.

Clarke swims around under the water, dodging legs. One pair of legs seem determined to not let her pass and she resurfaces to tell them to move. She recognizes who they belong to as she swims up. Swiping water from her eyes and pushing her hair back, Clarke finds herself eye to eye with Bellamy. He has the look in his eyes from earlier: protective.

“Hey,” Clarke pants, out of breath. “What’s-”

Bellamy steps closer and leans down to her ears, “he is looking at you like he’s going to consume you. Like he owns you. I couldn’t take it.” Turning around, Finn is cage in by Raven, but is looking at Clarke in a way that makes her feel on edge. It’s almost as if he’s looking right through her clothes and undressing her right there.

There is nothing left to the imagination as to what would have happened earlier at the snack table. Clarke’s chest is flush against Bellamy’s. After the events of the day, confidence roots in her core. She snakes one arm around his neck, twisting the hairs that fall just at his neck, and set her other directly over his heart. Bellamy’s eyes are a mix of confusion and clear desire.

Clarke’s voice is low. “Then show him he doesn’t.”

“I don’t understand.” Bellamy searches her face for answers.

Clarke’s gaze focuses on his lips, then back to his eyes with intent. “Kiss me.”

Bellamy waits only an instant, looking to see if she meant it. She did. His hands grasp her cheeks and pull her against him with passion. She can feel his heart beating through his chest and his lips against hers. Bellamy’s lips. Her hand trails further up his scalp and presses him closer still. Her heart soars and it feels as though everything in her life has been righted. Their mouths meet for an instant more until they both pull back out of breath. Vaguely, she can hear Jasper wolf-whistling and chatter around her, but her eyes never leave his.

Octavia sits on a pool chair and is just watching them with a knowing smile. “Finally! I thought you two would never figure it out.”

Clarke laughs breathlessly. Neither of them knowing what to say. Eventually, the attention turns off of them.

In her ear, Bellamy whispers, “lover boy looks pissed.”

Clarke pushes back enough to raise a hand to his forehead and wipe his wet hair to the side, caressing his cheek on the way. Clarke shook her head as if he still didn’t get it. “I don’t care. That wasn’t for him. And neither is this.” Pushing up on his shoulders, she presses a chaste kiss to his cheek.

He finally understands. “Clarke, are you free for dinner on Thursday?”

“Thursday sounds great.” She can’t wipe the smile off her face. Clarke was right. Today was a good day.


End file.
